‘We’re investigating a murder,’ said Sasha, making a big show of looking around. ‘Now let me see, if we’re being thorough, the search will take a few days, maybe up to a week. Getting a warrant won’t be easy, but I’ll do everything in my power to get one, and I promise you I’ll get as many police vehicles, specialist units and sniffer dogs as I can fit through that gate. You’ll be surprised what turns up in a search. And, oh, we’ll have to interview all your occupants.’ Sasha smiled. ‘Your TripAdvisor reviews will make very interesting reading.’

‘I’ll get a key,’ said the woman, stomping off.

When she had gone, Sasha watched Craig restlessly circling the caravan. She could see how tense and impatient he was. ‘We’re not going to go in till backup arrives.’

He snorted. ‘It’s just one guy.’

‘Craig,’ she said quietly. ‘Both of us have nearly got killed jumping into unpredictable situations feet first, so we’re going to wait. He’s inside, he’s not going anywhere.’

Then she stepped away to call the office and when she had done that, she wrangled the crowd further back across the grass.

‘Step back please, sir, for your own safety,’ Sasha said to one man who came forward to ask what was going on, and she told one little boy, ‘I love your tee-shirt,’ before asking his mother to move him away.

She didn’t notice the admin woman arrive with a key on the end of a heavy wooden peg until she heard a shout behind her. Craig had taken the key and was shouldering his way inside.

‘David Jenkins, get on the floor,’ he shouted.

Sasha ran to the caravan and jumped up the step. Squeezing in beside him at the door, she was stunned to find nobody inside.

‘But he was in here,’ insisted Craig angrily.

He moved further into the caravan to slap open the toilet door opposite and reveal an empty cubicle. It was impossible for Jenkins to hide. The space was small, twenty foot or so from one end to the other, and the windows were shut; there was simply no way he could have climbed out. And then Sasha saw that the corner of a piece of carpet was partially folded over at the kitchen end. Pulling the carpet up, she revealed a trapdoor – and a dark patch of grass beneath the caravan. The space was narrow, but Jenkins could have crawled underneath and out while they were both at the door.

‘Damn it.’ Craig punched the wall in frustration as Sasha hopped down the step, into the blinding sunlight and sweltering heat, just as a pair of patrol cars, lights flashing, appeared at the entrance of the park. Jenkins could still be close, hiding somewhere on site, or in the surrounding area.